Old Christmas trees make great run material

Andrew & I were constantly on the lookout for small Xmas trees that were put on the curb after Christmas. We'd pull up slow, I'd jump out and grab while Andrew popped the trunk and in a flash we were off with our free bedding.
Keeping the chicken's run dry (or something short of sodden) in the spring is always a challenge. This spring hasn't been too wet yet, but the rain will come. But this year we have our Christmas tree scraps and they seem to be making a difference. They've taken forever to go from green to brown. A few weeks ago Andrew cut off all their branches and scattered them around and that's sped up the browning process - but even before the branches are completely dry themselves, they provide a surprisingly effective barrier between the muck and our shoes and we don't seem to have the same cess-pool effect that we did last spring.
So far Operation Stolen Christmas Tree is a success!